2005 Prairie Chicken Hunt?

[OUTDOORNUT]

Anyone else draw a tag for this seasons hunt? Our group will be heading for the sand praires of Western MN to chase this beautiful birds. Just wondering if anyone can provide some insight or tips to their habits.

[bigdog]

There was an article in the MN Volunteer magazine last year that some information. Search the DNR site for an Archived copy?

[Fish_Off]

I actually see a group of Prairie Chickens on the public area I hunt out west every year. Sure would be nice if one day you could walk for pheasants and Prairie Chickens at the sametime without a special permit or zone. What a great picture that would make.

Good luck on your Prairie Chicken hunt

[Norsky]

Congrats on the drawing, I was denied this year, but I was selected and was successful in the '03 season. The birds tend to be pretty skittish early in the morning. Many people would just set up between their roosting cover and feeding area and pass shoot them as they flew across early in the morning. We used my dogs and did very well once the birds were done feeding and went back into the cover. When you find one, there will probably be many more in the same area. I used 4 shot steel and that was plenty of power to bring them down, I actually knocked our last bird down at over 50 yards. My taxidermist just finished one of the birds (finally) and I'm picking it up soon. We were hunting the large public wildlife area just to the west and north of Rothsay. Let me know if you have any other questions. There are also a few roosters in the area, so be ready for them also.

[OUTDOORNUT]

Thanks for the heads up Norsky! I also see we are allowed to take Sharptails during the 5 day Chicken hunt, were there some present? I was hoping to find a bonus Rooster while hunting also, so that news is music to my ears. I'll be out chasing the Ruffed Grouse this weekend the the week nights until Pheasant opens, so I guess it is time to winterize the Big Lake boat soon and head for the woods!

[Norsky]

The sharptails were off limits when we hunted up there in '03. It must have changed now. They had even mailed us pictures of sharptails and prairie chickens so we could identify them from a distance so we wouldn't mistakenly shoot any sharptails. That would be the ultimate Minnesota upland hunt- a prairie chicken, a sharptail, and a rooster all in the same day, then go after ruffed and spruce grouse. Make sure to get a good one for a mount, they are neat looking birds. If you bring with a nylon stocking (I stole a couple from my wife) you can put the bird in head first and keep all the feathers in nice shape, I always carry a couple with me wherever I'm hunting just in case I get a nice one for a mount.

[gspman]

Add gray partridge to the hunt and you'd have the Grand Slam of upland bird hunting in MN.

[riverrat56]

And you would be the luckiest man alive to ever achieve that this day and age